Andrew Bynum’s behavior was a concern while he was with the Lakers

Well before the Cleveland Cavaliers suspended Andrew Bynum for conduct detrimental to the team, the Lakers also worried about Bynum’s behavior.

Former Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar saw that first hand when he worked with him from 2005-2009 as a special assistant coach.

“When I worked with Andrew, I found him to be bright & hardworking. But I think he got bored with the repetitive nature of working on basketball fundamentals,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote Sunday on his Facebook page “But they are the keys to long term success.”

Abdul-Jabbar’s coaching duties were significantly scaled back in the 2008-09 season after Bynum expressed a lack of interest to the Lakers’ staff in working with Abdul-Jabbar.

“Andrew has always had the potential to help a team when he puts his heart into it,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “He just doesn’t seem to be consistent with his commitment to the game. That can lead to a lot of frustration for any team that has signed him.”

Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson seemed more forgiving, perhaps mindful Bynum helped the Lakers to two NBA championships in 2009 and 2010 and earned his lone All-Star appearance in the 2011-12 season. That marked the first time in seven seasons he played without a major injury. The Lakers then dealt Bynum to Philadelphia in a four-team, 12-player deal that resulted in Dwight Howard going to the Lakers.

“I’m reluctant to judge ABynum’s bball intent,” Jackson wrote Sunday on Twitter. “He is a man of many interests and has a life outside of bb, but he does like to compete.”

But Bynum soured his All-Star season with various antics. Bynum was benched during a game in the 2011-12 season for launching an ill-advised 3-pointer. He drew ejections from two games in a two-week span. Bynum also skipped a meeting with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and was fined for his conduct.

Last season in Philadelphia, Bynum made a name for himself for his outgrown hair and injuring his left knee while bowling. He didn’t play the entire season before signing with Cleveland via free agency. Bynum averaged only 8.4 points on 41.9 percent shooting and 5.3 rebounds in 20 minutes through 24 games with Cleveland, his lowest marks since the 2006-07 season with the Lakers.

“Andrew is the type of person who walks to the beat of ‘a different drummer,’ Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “We won’t know the facts until Andrew decides to tell us what actually is the issue.”

Injury update

Two significant pieces to the Lakers’ roster participated in Sunday’s morning shootaround, but the team will have to wait before Steve Nash and Steve Blake play in a game.

Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni estimated Nash remains two weeks away after completing some shooting drills Sunday with video coordinator Tom Bialaszewski. Blake is considered four weeks away from returning after continued shooting left handed while nursing a brace to support his hyperextended right elbow.

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Nash has stayed sidelined for the past 22 games because of nerve issues in his back, while Blake has missed the last nine contests because of his elbow issue.